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Emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations L452R & Y453F evade cellular immunity

The study, published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, also showed emerging mutations L452R and Y453F in the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding motif evade (HLA) A24-restricted cellular immunity. Meanwhile, the L452R enhances spike stability, viral fusogenicity, and viral infectivity. Hence, the findings suggest that HLA-restricted cellular immunity potentially affects the evolution of viral phenotypes.

22 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance identifies intricacies of stabilizing vs. destabilizing mutations

Some of these variants, known as variants of concern (VoC), have a much higher rate of transmission and increased mortality than the original SARS-CoV-2 strain. Therefore, it is imperative to assess the efficacy of the available vaccines against the circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains. In addition, tracking the continuously evolving genetic variants is also vital to prevent future outbreaks.

22 Jul 2021

Combination antibody therapies retain potency against SARS-CoV-2 variants, FDA / HHS research

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that while variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can compromise the effectiveness of single therapeutic antibodies at preventing severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many combination antibody products remain potent against the variants.

21 Jul 2021

Scientists seek to block pathogen’s most reliable weapon to cause severe malaria

The parasites that cause severe malaria are well-known for the sinister ways they infect humans, but new research may lead to drugs that could block one of their most reliable weapons: interference with the immune response.

21 Jul 2021

Study examines the host and viral factors that drive SARS-CoV-2 evolution

In a new paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv*, two clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2 are monitored by whole genome sequencing as they are passaged through several generations of Vero cells or human-derived primary nasal epithelial cells (PNEC), allowing direct observation of the occurrence of virus enhancing mutations and the way in which host cell factors shape virus evolution.

21 Jul 2021

Computer scientists aim to reveal the evolutionary trees of cancer mutations

Rice University computer scientists will take full advantage of new technology to sequence the genome of a single cell and decode mysteries contained in tumors.

19 Jul 2021

Study shows joint effects of perceived risk and availability on cannabis use

Combined perceptions of the risk and availability of cannabis influence the risk of cannabis use more than perceived risk and perceived availability alone, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

16 Jul 2021

Could new strains of COVID evolve in farm animals or pets?

It appears no one is safe from severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Given that SARS-CoV-2 likely developed in bats and later transmitted to humans in Wuhan, China, there has been concern over animals infecting humans. But more evidence has shown that humans are more likely to infect animals — from hamsters, gorillas to the domestic cat.

14 Jul 2021

New OMV-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate proves effective in mice

Researchers in Italy have demonstrated the efficacy of using modified outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as a vaccine to protect against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an animal model.

14 Jul 2021

Metabolomics: The Individual Metabolic Profile is the Key to Personalized Medicine

The study of these unique substances in each of us paves the way for a revolution in the treatment and prevention of diseases, allowing for early diagnosis and increasingly targeted pharmacological treatments.

From Bruker BioSpin Group 14 Jul 2021

SARS-CoV-2 mutations occur in essentially the same locations, research finds

New research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has shown that the mutations arising in the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus seem to run in the family -- or at least the genus of coronaviruses most dangerous to humans.

14 Jul 2021

Blood test could be a simple and effective method for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection

A blood test that quantifies the protein ACE2, the cellular protein which allows entry of the coronavirus into cells, as well as ACE2 fragments, produced as a result of interaction with the virus, could be a simple and effective method for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to a study led by Javier Sáez-Valero, from the UMH-CSIC Neurosciences Institute in Alicante, published in FASEB Journal.

13 Jul 2021

Hematopoietic stem cells take advantage of 'junk' RNA to replenish the blood system

Chemotherapy is widely used to treat cancer patients. During the treatment, chemotherapeutic agents affect various biochemical processes to kill or reduce the growth of cancer cells, which divide uncontrollably in patients.

12 Jul 2021

Study evaluates the prevalence of COVID-19 symptoms more than seven months after diagnosis

The SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for the COVID-19 disease, can cause symptoms that last for several weeks to months. The most common are persistent fatigue, shortness of breath, cardiac symptoms, neurologic symptoms and psychiatric manifestations.

12 Jul 2021

Students at Lewis Katz School of Medicine stand to benefit from new $1 million NIGMS grant

Rapid evolution in the field of biomedical research demands well-trained scientists. Adapting biomedical research training programs to keep up with the increasingly complex and interdisciplinary nature of the field, however, presents complex challenges for higher-education institutions.

12 Jul 2021

Study could guide future treatment of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

Children and adolescents with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) who are treated initially with intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) and glucocorticoids have reduced risk for serious short-term outcomes, including cardiovascular dysfunction, than those who receive an initial treatment of IVIG alone, a new study finds.

12 Jul 2021

Evolution News and Research

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 mutations L452R & Y453F evade cellular immunity

SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance identifies intricacies of stabilizing vs. destabilizing mutations

Combination antibody therapies retain potency against SARS-CoV-2 variants, FDA / HHS research

Scientists seek to block pathogen’s most reliable weapon to cause severe malaria

Study examines the host and viral factors that drive SARS-CoV-2 evolution

Computer scientists aim to reveal the evolutionary trees of cancer mutations

Study shows joint effects of perceived risk and availability on cannabis use

Could new strains of COVID evolve in farm animals or pets?

New OMV-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate proves effective in mice

Metabolomics: The Individual Metabolic Profile is the Key to Personalized Medicine

SARS-CoV-2 mutations occur in essentially the same locations, research finds

Blood test could be a simple and effective method for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 infection

Hematopoietic stem cells take advantage of 'junk' RNA to replenish the blood system

Study evaluates the prevalence of COVID-19 symptoms more than seven months after diagnosis

Students at Lewis Katz School of Medicine stand to benefit from new $1 million NIGMS grant

Study could guide future treatment of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children

Curbing COVID-19 through border controls and restricted entry

Novel cold-tolerant bacterium produces a red bio-pigment with germ-killing properties

Scientists analyze the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant to monoclonal antibodies

Scientists unravel mechanisms involved in epithelial integrity

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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